


The Howling

by attackontaco



Category: Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim
Genre: Gen, The Companions - Freeform, Werewolves
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-04-22
Updated: 2015-04-23
Packaged: 2018-03-25 06:14:58
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 3,189
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3799927
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/attackontaco/pseuds/attackontaco
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Viollynne - the Dragonborn, and Harbinger of The Companions - is trying to slowly let go of her dangerous life, but everything changes when her daughter begins to take after her in ways she had never dreamed of.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. The First Time

**Author's Note:**

> Hello everyone, this is my second fic on here, you might know this one from my deviantart (nightcatruvaar), or not. Either way, I hope you like it! I'm hoping to make this fic at least 10 chapters long, and perhaps make a sequel later - I guess we'll see!

Viollynne and Farkas were out on some animal extermination JOB all the way up in Winterhold, and Ria and Llewellyn - Luna’s usual baby-sitters - were on their honeymoon. So to whom would befall the task of taking care of her? Luna’s favourite uncle; Vilkas.

Vilkas never liked children, but he didn’t mind taking care of Luna. She was very mature for an eight year old, and they shared a love of BOOKSand knowledge.  
After having put Luna to bed, Vilkas fell asleep reading ‘The Cabin in the Woods’ on the bed across from Luna’s.

Vilkas had always been amazed at how spacious Lakeview Manor was, his favourite addition being the library tower, where he - when present - spent the majority of his time.  
He was suddenly woken by a loud howling, but not that of a normal wolf, no, this was a werewolf, but he didn’t recognise this howl - it was different, new.

He stood up to fully awaken himself from his restless sleep, knocking the BOOK off the bed. He immediately glanced at Luna’s bed - empty. Vilkas started to panic. He frantically grabbed his sky forge sword and ran outside, in the direction of the sound. He wore no armour, which helped him run faster, but would certainly disadvantage him if there was a fight. He wore only his sleeping shirt and pants, made from cotton.

A rock cut his bare foot, but it didn’t stop him from picking up speed. There was no more howling, but another sound now, was it, crying? It seemed to be. It became louder and louder until Vilkas stumbled upon a small figure, face buried in hands, curled up against a tree. It was what Vilkas had feared - Luna. She was naked and visibly shivering.  
“Luna?” he whispered.

She didn’t respond, he kneeled down in front of her and placed a hand on her shoulder. She reacted with a muffled scream, she looked up, seeing who it was, she reached out and hugged him tightly. After a moment he pulled back and took off his shirt, then put it on Luna.

“Luna, what happened?”

She kept crying.

“Did someone..” he choked on his words, “Did someone hurt you?” he asked.

She shook her head.

“What happened?”

“I-I don’t k-know.” she sobbed, “I c-can’t remember.”

“It’s okay, sweetie. Let’s get you home.” he said while picking her up and carrying her back to the manor.

 

Vilkas warmed some leftover stew from the previous night and some milk with honey for Luna, while she changed into her sleeping clothes in the next room.

She walked into the main hall while Vilkas was pouring the stew into a bowl, and the milk into a tankard. He tried not to let her hear the worry in his voice, but failed.

“Can you remember anything yet?” he asked.

“No.” Luna said.

“That’s fine, we’ll figure it out.” he placed her food on the table where she sat down.

He stopped - he smelled something. His beast senses were still heightened.

“Do you smell anything?”

She shook her head while shovelling a spoonful of cabbage stew into her mouth.

She didn’t notice, was it coming from her?

She pulled strands of ebony hair out of her mouth, that fell in while she ate.

 

Over the course of the night Vilkas questioned her, but she answered vaguely or not at all. Despite her memory loss, Vilkas had his theories, though when he thought of them, he felt as though he was going mad. It couldn’t be.

He didn’t sleep at all, he was constantly rummaging through the vast library for BOOKS on lycanthropy, but came up with little. There were a few, but they contained nothing but information he already knew, such as ‘The Physicalities of Werewolves’, he remembered hunting with Viollynne one day a few years back. They had been attacked by the Vigil of Stendarr, and they had later found the book on one of their bodies.

He would have to draw his own conclusions.

 

The next day Luna complained about having pains, unusually often. Despite his rationality and logical thinking, Vilkas kept coming to the conclusion that Luna was a werewolf - all the evidence was there, except, who could have turned her? Surely not Farkas or Viollynne, they were planning to be cured themselves.

He went over the facts in his head again; Luna smelled like a dog, she disappeared in the middle of the night at the same time he heard the howling, she was having aches and pains, she didn’t remember what had happened, and all her clothes were gone when he found her.

It all sounded pretty average for someone who had recently become a werewolf. Yet he refused to believe it, until the next night.

Vilkas called Luna in for dinner, who was chaotically attacking the training dummy outside with the wooden sword Farkas had gotten her for her birthday.

“Coming!” she yelled.

As they sat down to eat, Luna complained about her pains again. Vilkas furrowed his brow, worried, “Maybe we go to Whiterun tomorrow and visit Arcadia. I’m sure she could help.” he said.

Luna nodded.

When they had almost finished eating, Luna dropped her spoon onto the table and stood up.

“Are you finished?” Vilkas asked.

Luna didn’t answer, instead she whispered, “Oh no.” and ran outside.

Vilkas stood up and ran after her. She stood facing the forest, her back towards him. She heard him walking closer.

“Uncle Vilkas no! I don’t wanna hurt you!” she yelled, pushing back tears.

“Luna-“ he began, but was cut off by a bloodcurdling scream.

His mouth fell open in shock and disbelief. The sweet little girl before him started changing, transforming into something different, something dangerous, something… familiar.

Her limbs expanded, her skin turned white with fur, her teeth sharpened.

“Gods… no…” Vilkas whispered.

The transformation was complete, the beast stared at him and howled, before running back into the woods.

Vilkas, able to control his beast, transformed as well, and chased after the werewolf that was Luna.


	2. Coming Home

Farkas woke up, grumbling and tired, next to his wife, who was already awake. She lay flat on her back, staring up at the tall ceiling of the arch-mages quarters.

Without looking at him, she knew he was awake. Viollynne let out a deep sigh.

“Something wrong?” Farkas asked.

“No.. I just, had a bad dream.”

Farkas wrapped his arms around her, “What about?”.

Viollynne didn’t respond, and they lay silently for a few moments.

“Do you think Luna’s alright?” she asked.

“Of course. Vilkas loves her, he wouldn’t let anything happen.” he said, comfortingly.

“I know…” she cuddled up to him, they rested for a while before getting out of bed.

 

After breakfast, Farkas and Viollynne were gearing up for the trip home.

“It’s been too long, I need to let my wolf out.” Viollynne suddenly said.

“Oh. Well, okay. I’ll come with you.” Farkas said.

“You sure? I can go alone.” she said.

“Yeah, it’s a good idea. We don’t have many chances back home.” he said.

“Okay, well, I’ll go say bye to Brelyna, J’zargo and everyone else then. Meet you outside?”

“Sure.” Farkas said.

 

A while later, Viollynne and Farkas were running through what forest there was up in the Northern tundra, hunting and racing.

It felt good to let their beasts out. It really had been too long.

They were separated at some point, and Viollynne heard whimpering. She sped in its direction and skidded to a stop when she found Farkas crouched down behind a hill, which was separating them from three frostbite spiders.

Viollynne nudged him with her snout and leapt over the hill, lunging at the spiders and swiftly ripping them apart.

They gestured to each other to circle back and pick up their armour.

 

Fully clothed and on their way to the nearest stables, Viollynne and Farkas were eager to get home.

“Are you going to tell me what happened?” Farkas abruptly said.

“What?”

“Your dream. I can tell it really upset you.” he said.

“Oh.” Viollynne began, not sure what to say, “It… was about Luna.”

“I figured.” Farkas said.

“No, but it wasn’t Luna.” Viollynne said.

“Okay, Vi, that doesn’t make any sense.” Farkas stated.

“Haven’t you ever had a weird dream? They don’t tend to ever make sense.”

“Hmph.” Farkas grunted.

They arrived at the stables, where Gunjar, their personal carriage driver, was waiting for them.

They got in the carriage and immediately started moving, back home towards Falkreath.

“She was a beast.” Viollynne whispered the words.

Farkas didn’t say anything, he just stared at her in shock.

 

“Finally! Thanks Gunjar.” Viollynne exclaimed as they pulled in to the stables of Lakeview Manor.

Flipping him a few septims, Viollynne and Farkas jumped out of the carriage.

Just as she was about to go inside, Farkas grabbed Viollynnes shoulder.

“Hey, everything’s fine. It was just a dream.” he said, despite his own worries.

She attempted to smile and hugged him, before entering their home.

“We’re ho-“ Farkas began, but he stopped when saw a crying Luna and his brother, who was trying to comfort her. They hadn’t seen them enter yet.

“Come on, you can do it, don’t let it take over.” Vilkas said.

Luna closed her eyes tight, and made a face that expressed concentration.

Vilkas saw them then, “You’re home. There’s a… problem.” he said, his face tired and desperate.

“Mommy! Dad!” Luna ran towards them, wrapping her arms around Viollynnes waist. She lifted her up and hugged her tightly, “What happened?”


	3. Leaving Home

“Luna, don’t let go of—“ Vilkas began from across the room, but it was too late.

Luna — in her excitement for her parents’ return — had momentarily forgotten to keep her guard up, to keep the beast out.

Viollynne stepped back, scarcely holding on to her daughter as she felt Luna’s bones shift. She started crying again, but soon found that crying is difficult with a snout, she kicked herself out of her mother’s arms and fell to the floor — where her transformation continued.

“Oh, gods—“ Viollynne watched in paralysed shock.

“Vilkas, what’s going on?” Farkas screamed at his brother as he stood next to Viollynne, who was sinking to her knees.

Before Vilkas could react, it was over. A shockingly white werewolf was trying to stand up from the floor. Luna looked so dangerous, like this, yet still so small — the smallest werewolf Viollynne had ever seen, as Luna stood barely to Viollynne’s shoulders in this form.

It happened too fast after that. Luna trampled out the door, breaking the lock open as she went. Farkas transformed as quickly as he could, and went after her. Still in shock, Viollynne couldn’t move, vaguely, she heard Vilkas,

“That happened.” he said, before taking his own leave and simultaneously transforming.

It took a moment for Viollynne to process the situation, but as soon she did, she followed her husband and brother-in-law’s lead, transforming and chasing her daughter through the forest by Lakeview Manor.

 

The pads under Viollynne’s feet ached — a vague sensation, drowned out by her fear for Luna. She was lagging behind, usually she was the fastest werewolf of The Circle, but today she could barely see her family’s paws, as they were almost invisibly far ahead of her.

She howled, she wasn’t sure why. Surely not to tell them to not leave her behind — she wouldn’t want them to stop, anyways — it wasn’t out of pain, either. Perhaps fear.

She used the last of her energy to speed up, crashing through the forest at an inhuman speed. Finally, she was sure she’d passed them, because she didn’t see them ahead of her anymore. But her momentum was faltering, and before long, a leg slipped, sending Viollynne tumbling down a hill, into the stump of a tree.

 

When she woke, it was night time, and the full moon was out — as silver as Luna’s fur. She was also human — well, dunmer — again.

Viollynne drifted in and out of consciousness for sometime, and she wasn’t worried, until the last time, when she woke up for good — but not leaning against the stump of a tree.  
The air felt damp, here. Viollynne opened her eyes… a cave?

“W—where am— Aargh!” Viollynne screamed in pain, feeling her skin burn again her new found restraints, which hell her arms above her head.

“What is that?!” she yelled to no one. That’s when she figured it out. Silver.

She looked around, only to find Farkas and Vilkas hanging in the same position on either side of her.

“No…” she almost cried.

“Where am I?!” she screamed — again, to no one. Except, this time there was an answer.

“What, you don’t recognise it? I thought you would like it, for old times’ sake.”

“Who are you? What are you talking about?” she asked into the darkness.

“You don’t recognise me?” the man’s voice echoed, but he refused to step into the light.

“Where’s my daughter?” she then said.

“Oh, that sweet girl. I like her. Don’t worry, she’s quite safe.” the voice said.

That’s when she understood exactly who she was speaking to. Rage boiled her blood, and she fought against her burning restraints.

“I’m going to kill you!” she snarled, teeth bared.

“You can’t kill a god.” he said.

“You’re no god.”

“That didn’t seem to matter to you when you killed one of your own for me.”

She ignored his weak attempts to make her feel guilty, “I’ll say it again — I am going to murder you, Hircine.”


	4. Champion

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As you might have noticed, this takes place post-ill-met-at-moonlight, so the events of that quest have already been completed by Viollynne!

“I doubt that very much, child.” Hircine said, his macabre voice echoing through the damp cavern.

Viollynne huffed, “Where am I?”

“Really, I’d have expected you to know. It’s Bloated Man’s Grotto! Well, the tunnel system beneath it.”

Bloated Man’s Grotto? That name sounded familiar… Oh.

“Why are we here?” she then asked.

“Did you really think I’d just feed you all the answers? Oh no, you’re going to have to figure it out on your own.” Hircine said, chuckling grimly.

Viollynne growled at him loudly, to which he said, “Oh, come now. No need for hostility.” he then whistled, and two men came from some hole in the wall behind her.

“Unchain her.” Hircine said.

This was her chance. Wait, no. Viollynne had always been struggling with her ‘kill first, ask questions later’ mentality. It had proven problematic for her in earlier situations, and, thinking about it more, there was always a smarter way to go about these things. Hircine probably had at least one hundred more men waiting, and, even being the Dragonborn, Viollynne couldn’t actually kill a Daedric Prince on her own, as much as she wished she could. Speaking of, how does one kill a Daedra?

Viollynne’s (non-existent) plan was definitely flawed.

The men unchained Viollynne, and she breathed a sigh of relief as her wrists and ankles were released from the burning silver.

“Come,” Hircine spoke, “Have dinner with me.”

What?

 

Viollynne was beginning to realise that her Daedric captor was a bit… odd. And that’s saying something for an immortal Prince of werewolves who where’s the remains of dead animals as clothing.

Granted, the gown was beautiful — but Viollynne had never been one to favour beauty.

He had put her in a room and told her to wear it, it was red velvet with golden satin and had actual diamonds detailed in the floral embroidery. How dreadfully feminine it was.

But Viollynne didn’t have time to be annoyed with articles of clothing, not while her daughter was gods know where, with Hircine doing gods know what to her. She could only hope she would see Luna soon.

 

She was led into a small dining hall, where she was forcefully seated on one of the ends of the long table. Viollynne was tied down in her hair, her ankles and waist fastened in — only her arms were free so she could eat from the lavish buffet that decorated the table.

Hircine sat leisurely across from her, at the other end of the table.

“Looks good, doesn’t it?” he said, “I had your daughter kill it for us.”

He did what? Now that Viollynne took a closer look, all the food on the table was meat, there was barely anything else. Stuffed chickens, suckling pigs, roasted venison… The list went on. Luna killed all that?

“Where is she?” Viollynne snarled at him.

“Oh, don’t worry, my champion. She will be joining us shortly.” he said, grinning.

At that moment, the door at the other end of the room creaked open.

“Ah! There she is now.” Hircine said then, as Luna entered the room.

“Luna!” Viollynne called. But there was no response. Luna didn’t look up, she didn’t look at anything. She simply took a seat — closer to Hircine than to her mother.

“Let’s eat!” the Daedra called.

Luna obeyed immediately, to Viollynne’s violent dismay. She herself refused to touch the meat. She simply stared at her beautiful daughter for a long time. The sweet girl was only eight years old, with jet black hair like her mother, and the red and black eyes to match. Her skin was pale as that of a Nord, but shone the slightest shade of grey in the right light. Her ears were pointed, too. The perfect example of a half elf — a beautiful child.

 

Viollynne never ate. She watched Luna the whole time, and once she was done, Hircine started again,

“Well the, let’s move on to our business, shall we?” he said.

“What do you want?” Viollynne asked, eyes never moving from her daughter, who was looking at Hircine expectantly.

“Dearest Viollynne, I will make this very simple. I know you are making feeble attempts at retiring from your position as dragon slayer. And so also trying to stop be my champion. I will allow it, but do you know what it means if I no longer have you?” he finally asked.

Viollynne thought for a long time, and finally came to a frightening answer, “You want a new champion.”

“Correct!” he said, then he continued, “But see, I don’t want just any champion. Viollynne, your bloodline has amazing potential. Your daughter — being the product of two werewolves — can do great things as a beast. That is why I gifted her with this talent—“

Viollynne cut him off, “Gift?! You cursed her!”

“You didn’t find it a curse when you so willingly drank the blood of your fellow Companions, did you?” he said, “Now, may I continue? You may have noticed that your sweet child, Luna, is a white wolf. I did this to show how special she is. She is one of the most powerful wolves I’ve ever created. But, as you well know, Viollynne, physical strength does not equal mental strength. That is why I am putting your daughter to the test; to see if she is worthy of being my new champion.”

Viollynne dreaded the answer she might receive to the question she was about to ask — hesitantly, she began,”…What’s the test?”

“A fight. A fight to the death. Viollynne, your daughter is going to kill you — unless you kill her first.”


End file.
